They had:
by Hunting4Harts
Summary: One-shots. Zutara. Sporadic updates.
1. A Similar Mindset

I did mention that I like Zutara (to the point where my family is afraid I'll OD on this pairing...). I will therefore be making a bunch of one-shots for them while I try to figure out how to write action scenes that don't make dragonslayers too OP. (Stupid, lovable FT.)

* * *

"Hey, Zuko."

The voice came from right behind him. The Firelord spun around, flames at the ready. But then he relaxed a fraction, recognizing the person who spoke. "…Katara! How did you even get in here?"

She wouldn't be here, in his room. Not after the way they'd fought- the way he'd treated her earlier. Was he starting to see things now? While he was awake?

No, please, don't answer that.

"You have the Kiyoshi Warriors protecting you. Suki's my sister-in-law. How do you think I got in?"

Nope, definitely Katara. His mind couldn't pull off that Water Tribe sass of hers.

"…Right."

There was a deep, smothering stillness in the darkness of his chambers. Neither spoke, neither moved- they were scarcely breathing. Well. Zuko was scarcely breathing.

Katara was the first person to break the silence. "About earlier, Zuko-"

"I'm not changing my mind, Katara." His voice was impersonal again, ice-cold, like it had been in the courtyard that that afternoon. "The colonists in Yu Dao are staying."

"…You remember that terrible play we went to see, just before the comet?" _Before the duel?_ The words were left off, but it was unnecessary to voice them; both the firebender and the waterbender knew what she was asking.

"Yeah?" Zuko was startled by the question. What did that have to do with anything?

"Aang was so mad by the time the intermission rolled around. He really believed that that stupid playwright was right about what happened beneath the city."

Both Zuko and Katara cringed slightly. "I remember…"

Why had that idiot- not Aang; the script writer, though Aang had been all too willing to believe- thought that they had kissed?

"…took forever to calm him down- he didn't even want to go to Iroh's party. And then you guys manage to be friends again, and this happens!"

"Katara, I was serious-" But apparently so was she, since she just steamrolled right over him.

"We snuck back in, you know? Of course you knew that- the guards probably reported it." There had not, in fact, been any such report. It seemed that Firelord Zuko would have to find time to deal with this.

He got up to move towards her. "Katara, I'm not-"

"I get why you won't, Zuko." That brought him up short.

What?

"What?"

"I get it." He felt, rather than saw, the way she gestured for him to sit next to her. He sat.

(Only he, Firelord Zuko, would wait to be invited to sit on his own bed, by someone who- despite being his friend- was clearly an intruder.)

"The Gang has seen a lot of places- the Poles, half of the Earth Kingdoms, most of the Fire Nation- so there've been a lot of weird things; the creepy swamps, crazy old ladies, ruins, thieves, brainwashed zombies…And I think Yu Dao might belong on the list. I mean, Aang thought so. He broke up with me." Her voice was small now. "He broke up with me, Zuko."

He placed a warm hand on her back- _Colder than usual_ , Katara noted. She would have to do something about that; he wasn't taking care of himself- and began rubbing it in soothing circles.

Zuko wasn't really one to pry in situations like this- he wouldn't know what to ask, really. So he just blurted out the first thing that came to mind (it was a habit that even his advisors were trying to break), "Mai broke up with me too."

"Because of Yu Dao?"

He nodded, forgetting she couldn't see him in the dark. It didn't matter.

She knew him well enough to know that he had.

"…She said I don't care enough- that I don't pay attention to anything that isn't a secret."

"You do though." The hand on her back paused for a fraction of a second. "Why else would you be doing this for a public secret?"

"Katara?"

She turned to look at him, finding where his eyes would be despite the darkness. "Yu Dao, Zuko. I'm going to help you keep it. I swear."

 _I'm not wrong._

It was the first thought to run through his head, after her words. _Katara never fights for something morally wrong, so I'm right. I'm not wrong._

He slumped backwards onto the mattress, formal armor and all.

"Zuko!"

Immediately, the Warriors swarmed in, looking for a threat. With them, they carried torches.

They saw, in the firelight, Katara leaning over Zuko as he lie on the bed, looking the most relaxed they had seen in days.

"Oops," one of them said.

"False alarm," said another as the girls began to filter out of the room.

"Katara, I **_am_** telling Sokka about this." And that was Suki. She, too, started to leave.

 _Sokka?_ Katara wondered. _Why would she need to-_

She looked down at the Firelord. His face was slightly flushed, one hand covering his eyes- but there was a tired smile there, all the same. His clothing was in disarray, hair askew- but he was relaxed in a way he hadn't been since what seemed like forever. And, as Katara noticed her hands had automatically gone to the scar on his chest (that she knew still gave him trouble every so often), the waterbender realized that she was very, very close to her friend. Or, in other words: from where Suki stood, it was very likely Katara and Zuko seemed to be in a more…intimate position that they really were.

"Wait, Suki! It's not-!"

The door closed.

Zuko moved, bringing his hand to hold hers- which was still on his chest, right over that scar. He acted as if there hadn't just been a dozen girls in the room. Girls who seemed to think- Katara blushed. But the light had left the room with the Kiyoshi Warriors, and the other bender was clueless.

"You have no idea how relieved I am, Katara."

And she really didn't.

She had no way of knowing how, for the first time since the whole debacle began, he felt like he might, just maybe, be sane.

They sat in silence for another long moment.

Then:

"But what changed your mind?" From past experience, Zuko knew it had to be something big. Katara was the most stubborn person he'd ever met.

"I wasn't really against it in the first place, Zuko; I just wanted to know your reasons. Aang and I came back into the city after you kicked us out, to do just that. And we did- I did…" He winced at the words. Assuming his scar was really acting up, she pulled water from the air and began to check the wound, shushing his protests. He eventually fell silent and let her do what she wanted. It was the only way to win with Katara, he'd found.

(Besides, having her check over the wound was soothing- the water tingled in a familiar, comforting way.)

She continued, "Once, before we went to the North Pole, we came across this village with a fortune teller. Sokka had thought the whole thing was bogus, and now that I think back on it, she probably wasn't all that accurate. She'd done a reading about the volcano- said it wouldn't erupt and destroy the village. The volcano didn't destroy the village. But that was only because Aang, Sokka and I had made sure that everyone got out, and we organized the villagers to dig a ditch to redirect the lava before hit had the chance to erupt."

"Clever. But what's that got to do with…?"

She removed her hands.

Somehow, Zuko felt colder at their loss. Alone. Again.

He pulled her down next to him, entwining their fingers.

"Hush, your lordliness. I'm getting there." If Katara was surprised by the move, she didn't say. After having forgiven him- and getting over a few misunderstandings- they had been like this. Comfortable. "Anyway, there was this pair of twins- one could earthbend, and the other couldn't even lift rocks half the size of what his brother could move. In the market- after Aang and I had gotten separated- I saw a pair of twins just like them. Except the girl could firebend, and the boy was making stone targets for her, almost faster than she could blast them down."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Aang said that peace could only happen if the elements were separate. But you're just trying to keep families where they belong: together. I couldn't get him to understand…"

They lapsed into the quiet yet again. Only this time it was calm and sleepy and comforting.

"'Tara?"

"Yeah, Zuko?"

"I'm sorry about earlier." He had tried not to hold her arm too tightly, or twist it too far back, but…

"S'okay. Sorry for beating up your men," she yawned.

"Hmm."

And then they fell asleep, hands still fastened together.

* * *

I think they might be too mellow right now...

Word Count: 1470, Approx.


	2. Tui's Blessing

Some wondered why the spirits tasked by the King of the Heavens with keeping the balance did nothing to prevent, or even halt, the war that drove Air Nomads to extinction and left the Water Tribes at the mercy of their enemies. In all of the many, many timelines filled with endless choices, the question was unwarranted. In each, the spirits- deifies to those they watched over- did their best to decide a course of action.

In some instances, they could not agree upon any plan, and the world was lost. Either to an imbalance among the elements in some form (for fire did not always gain dominion over the others) or to the inevitable clash between light and dark, humanity's outcome was the same. Death.

In others, like our own, they chose to withdraw from the world and take their influences- the control humanity held over the elements- with them. Eventually humanity would overcome this hurdle and focus more efforts on technology. When the Light and Dark tangled, sometimes the technology was sufficient in aiding humanity's survival. Other times it was not, and the world was lost.

Many worlds were lost.

Of the few worlds where these gods respected their Lord's wish that humans have mastery over the elements, only a handful were saved.

In several, they gambled upon the fate of Wan and Raava- the child known, during the war, as Aang. Those worlds prospered for as long as he lived, and often times longer.

In a small number of timelines, they placed their bets elsewhere.

One such world had them decide to push opposites together and convince balance to stick. It still required the avatar, and those who would become his friends. There were just a few… tweaks.

* * *

"…They no longer listen to me." On a tree stump sat a man whose voice and demeanor spoke of great pain. His eyes stared blankly past the many rings of the old tree's remains. Two beings circled the stump from opposite sides- a woman who glowed, almost sympathetically, and a man whose dark eyes were filled with distrust.

"Surely there is some way to stop this," the woman pleaded. Her voice was as soft as her light, kind despite the tragedy occurring. She understood his sorrow, as she had seen it from her perch in the night sky, and had no wish to cause any further torment.

The man on the stump only shook his mane of fiery hair. Liquid sunlight trailed down his cheeks. "Few of the sages hold the strength needed to speak with me in the first place. Of those, none who would actually hear my true meaning are in a position to help."

"Try anyway!" snapped the other man. His face promised pain. His movements were those of a leopard-shark on the hunt, for all he saw in the other man was dishonesty where none existed. "I will not have my children continue to suffer at the hands of your own, Agni."

"I have tried! And they will not listen! And now they- they…" Agni jumped up from his seated position, twisting his head to face the woman. He sobbed, sunlight dripping from his face to the tree, where saplings began to sprout. " _Tell him_ what they do to their **_brethren_** , Tui. I am not the only one to see how they-" He choked up and closed his eyes, leaving Tui and his tears the only sources of light in their corner of the marsh.

"Tell me what, Agni?" The man gave a dark, cold laugh. "How _so many_ of my daughters are forced to send me their offspring? Offspring brought forth from what _cannot_ be called a union even in _jest._ "

Agni flinched.

"La!" Tui stopped her movements, forcing her other half to do the same. Her silvery hair flowed like rain- like liquid sorrow into the water they stood in. "Ours are _not_ the only ones suffering. We must never forget this."

"The children of the air?" La glared at her. "They are the same. And it is practically by his hands! His wards, therefore, are not our concern!"

Agni rounded on the other man with an intensity that lit the marsh for miles, as if it were under the midday sun. "All of the children touched by spirits are our concern! We were the ones who gave the lion-turtles the-"

"Don't you dare lecture me on gifts and responsibilities, Agni! Not when **_your_ ** children are the cause of this mess!"

The men went at it for a while until Tui had had enough. "They are **_killing the dragons_** , La!"

La turned to her with wide eyes. He then turned to the wilted Agni. "Your- They are?"

"Now you know how bad things are." The sun spirit's voice broke midway through the statement.

Tui and La began their dance again.

Agni reclaimed his seated position. "How can I stop this? If you have any ideas, I'd…"

Tui paused again (as did La, for they were always careful not to touch, not to upset the balance), gesticulating as she exclaimed, "That's it!"

Wearily, Agni turned his golden-eyed gaze on her. La tilted his head, expression as dark as a hungry leopard-shark.

"Let the blood of the dragons enter the royal house!"

"What?! That's insane!" The men froze, glancing at each other. Had they just… _agreed_ on something?

With bright, excited eyes, Tui continued, oblivious to the others' discomfort. "The last time a dragon sired a human, the world received the avatar. A righteous dragon's power in the royal family, if nourished properly, would end this slaughter!" The water began to tug at her and her lover, moving as if it could feel her excitement.

"No!" La shook his head and the temperature dropped. "That's too big of an 'if', Tui."

"Agni, who had been silent this time, turned to face the other man. "Actually…It could work. My Lady and I could ensure that the child has the correct guidance-"

"No! Absolutely not!"

"I think it's a good plan." The new voice startled the three deities. A crimson dragon carrying a veiled woman in torn finery landed in the water, coiling around them. The woman spoke again. "It has been some time since my last trip to the mortal plane. And Jinzuk has had his eye on Wan and Ra- er, Roku's girl."

"Hitomi!"

The woman grinned as she moved off of Jinzuk, the dragon, and rushed into Agni's arms. She turned to the Lord and Lady of Water, dipping her head in respect./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Tui smiled and nodded in reply, but La frowned at her, and Hitomi.

Agni gently pushed the (seemingly) young woman away. His youngest two wished to go? Down there? "Child, I cannot send you and your brother! Not with the way-"

The woman's smile faded. "You would have us stay here, while my brothers and sisters war with each other? You, who dueled against Lord Kai when he wished to wed me despite my unwillingness? You, who wished to warm the world and give breath to those who now must fight for each one?"

"See, the girl agrees, Agni, La. And Souzin's child, or perhaps that child's child, will stop this pointless war if we-"

"You would let _**this girl**_ guide the child? After the mess she made of her own mortal life?" La glared at Hitomi and Agni.

Hitomi returned the gesture. " ** _This girl_** has a name, Lord La. And my life was only a mess because you refused to leave Suigetsu and I alone all those years ago!"

"You were living with him," La pointed angrily at Jinzuk, "and the other dragons at the time! You were killing him! And Agni was the one who-"

"I was not! And don't you dare blame Father for what strongemyou/em/strong did to us!" Agni had to hold his daughter's wrists to prevent her from attacking the ocean spirit. Tui sent a water-whip at her husband, while Jinzuk simply watched and waited. (Dragons were very good at watching and waiting.)

"Wife!" She ignored him.

"My vote is cast. Let the children go. We are allowed to protect those who we send to do our work, Agni. Especially if we cause their birth." Agni, Tui and Hitomi ignored the way La sputtered.

Agni slowly released his daughter and looked to his son. "Jinzuk, are you certain? Once you give up your wings, they can never return. You might even lose your power over flames."

Jinzuk reached out with one of his whiskers, touching his father on the head. Instantly, Agni's mind was filled with images of a girl, memories without any semblance of time (as she grew older and younger without rhyme or reason), and an overwhelming sense affection. And an ache. A painful, heart-breaking long. After a while- a long, lingering moment- she was replaced with another dragon; one named Fang, who had lived with Roku. Sadness and worry were associated with Fang, the undertones of brotherly love and jealousy almost buried by the depth of the other feelings. After flashing to the girl one last time, Jinzuk removed his whisker and stood.

Drops of sunlight gathered in Agni's eyes again. He had had no idea. "Oh, Jinzuk…I-I will agree with your plan, Lady Tui."

La folded his arms. "So my vote- **_common sense_** \- is to be the minority then. If this ends badly-"

"It won't, love." Tui smiled as they began walking again. Their circling dance looked almost like a waltz as they moved away from the others. "Lady Hitomi has agreed to help us, but her presence in the mortal world is limited to the bodies of water within Lord Agni's domain."

"So you acknowledge that your plan has holes?"

"Love," the moon spirit giggled and they stopped again. "…I never said how **_I_** planned to guide the child."

"What do you mean to do, then?" Lord La, Spirit of the Ocean, Master of the Great Depths, received no reply from his ladylove, other than a smug grin. "Tui, what are you scheming? Tui?"

* * *

And thus, the plan was made- though not every participant in its creation felt it was wise to interfere.

When it blew up in their faces, La would be waiting with an "I told you so."

* * *

Word Count: Approx. 1,750

Alright. This will be my last post for a (great) while. I'll still try to update, but I probably won't be able to...See my profile if you want details.

A loud "Thank you!" to everyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed this. It's nice to see how many fellow Zutarans there are out there.


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